The Sindh Assembly has been formally summoned for its budget session on Wednesday at 4:00 PM, where Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah will present the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2026-27. Prior to the assembly session, a crucial Sindh Cabinet meeting will convene to grant formal approval to the budget proposals. The overall budget outlay is expected to touch a historic Rs. 4,000 billion (Rs. 4 Trillion), spanning over a projected five-day session where a supplementary budget will also be presented.
Designed with a distinct “pro-labor” focus, the finance department is finalizing key relief measures despite facing tight fiscal challenges following the recent federal pay hikes. Under the proposed relief package, the government is considering a 10% increase in salaries for government employees alongside a matching 10% hike in pensions. Furthermore, a major step toward labor welfare is being taken with a proposed Rs. 5,000 increase in the minimum wage, effectively fixing it at Rs. 45,000 per month.
On the development front, the Sindh government has outlined a comprehensive total development budget exceeding Rs. 900 billion, showing a strategic reallocation compared to the current fiscal year’s total size of Rs. 1,018 billion. For the upcoming financial year, the provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP) is proposed to receive Rs. 522 billion, slightly up from the current year’s Rs. 520 billion. Conversely, allocations for Foreign Project Assistance (FPA) are projected at Rs. 296 billion against the current Rs. 367 billion, while the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) is expected to get between Rs. 50 to 60 billion, down from Rs. 76 billion. Lastly, the District ADP has been proposed at Rs. 50 billion, which was previously allocated Rs. 55 billion in the ongoing fiscal year.
